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Table 1 Final attributes and levels for DCE

From: Designing a package of sexual and reproductive health and HIV outreach services to meet the heterogeneous preferences of young people in Malawi: results from a discrete choice experiment

Attributes

Levels

Justification

Service Provider Gender

Male

Individuals in FGDsd indicated that they may feel more comfortable with a same sex provider, but many indicated that providers of both genders should be available so that everyone would feel comfortable accessing the service

Female

Service Provider Age

Less than 30 years of age

Individuals in FGDs indicated that they may feel more comfortable with a younger or older service provider. No consensus came out in the discussion but individuals expressed strong preferences for one or the other.

More than 30 years of age

Availability of HIV services

HCTa only

One of the project aims is to explore youth preferences for integrated SRHe and HIV services. This attribute can provide insight into the value that youth place on the availability of HIV services in the context of an FP service regardless of whether they are likely to actually use these services.

HCT and antiretroviral treatment available

Confidentiality

You do not need to be concerned about confidentiality when you go for FPb. You can feel confident that the service provider will not share the details of your visit with anyone.

Youth reported concerns about confidentiality and talked about confidentiality in terms of both secrecy and anonymity. In the final questionnaire this attribute was described in relation to uncertainty over whether other clients may be within hearing distance when a client goes for a FP consultation and whether the client may feel confident that the service provider will not share any details of their visit.

Sometimes when you go for FP other people are present or nearby. If there were other people present in the room or within hearing distance outside when you went for FP then you may feel the service is not private or confidential.

Youth Focus

Recreation and sports activities are offered for young people when health workers come

In the qualitative work youth (especially boys) expressed a desire for recreation and sports activities and youth clubs.

Music and drama with health messages are performed while health services are being offered

Previous outreach programmes available in the area included an aspect of health education or entertainment such as music and drama. These components of the outreach programme were recently discontinued due to funding constraints. They are included to explore how important these additional youth-friendly service components are to youth and whether their reintroduction may be valuable in attracting young people.

Health education talks on issues important to youth are delivered before services begin

No additional activities (health services only)

Price

Free

This range reflects prices that FGD participants mentioned paying in facilities in their catchment area. In the pilot a top price of 300MK was used but the results of the analysis suggested that some respondents were not responsive to price so the upper bound was increased to 500 MK.

50 MKc

150 MK

500 MK

  1. aHCT = HIV Counselling and Testing, bFP = Family Planning, cMK = Malawi Kwacha (50MK was equal to approximately USD$0.20 in May-June 2012), dFDG = Focus Group Discussion, eSRH = Sexual and Reproductive Health.